Presidential age limit debate: Fr Gaetano appeals to fellow clerics

Kabale. The parish priest for Kitanga Parish of Kabale Diocese, Fr Gaetano Batanyenda, has authored a seven-page open letter to senior religious leaders in the country, urging them to convince President Museveni to resist the pressure from some MPs to have the presidential age clause in the Constitution removed.
Fr Gaetano argues that amending Article 102(b) of the Constitution is a recipe for disaster. The outspoken religious leader went on to argue that life presidency will lead to increased torture and violation of human rights by security forces, grand corruption, land grabbing, among other evils.
“Senior church leaders should tell President Museveni to model himself along the legacy of former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere, who, when asked by some members of his political party Chama cha Mapenduzi to rule for life, firmly and sternly rejected their advances,” he said.
He added that now is the time for senior religious leaders to come out openly and tell Ugandans whether they are on the side of the “oppressors” or the “oppressed”.
“You cannot afford to be neutral or lukewarm. As senior religious leaders in Uganda, we should emulate the heroic example of the Uganda Martyrs, the former Archbishop Jonan Luwum who said no to bad leadership,” Fr Gaetano said